Unforgettable
by blissified
Summary: Years had gone by and we've grown. But even if I tried, I couldn't. Who could forget Fuji Syuusuke? A one shot to feed my sadistic tendencies!


Disclaimer: I'll like to own your reviews, not my mom's naggings. Oh and POT too.

Author's Note: Ann is actually the only female character I can tolerate in the series (Rinko and Nanako are excluded, obviously) so here's a little something for her.

P.S. I don't know! The pairing is a little awkward no? Fuji and Ann. Hmm… (:

* * *

**Tachibana Ann**

Ann was finally 16 this year.

With age came experience and with time came changes. She had grown up to be the girl that her brother was proud of. Ann was no longer that awkward little girl behind her brother's shadow. Gone were the childish hair clips and silly leggings.

Several years had gone since that fateful Nationals Tournament but Ann couldn't bring herself to forget. Her brother had lost terribly to the demon of Rikkai Dai. Till now, she could see it as clear as day - the agony he suffered with every return.

As the honorable captain, he carried on, the burden of his promise showed visibly with every step he took. How she wanted to run to him and make him stop but she knew he wouldn't be pleased. So she had watched on, heart breaking as the strongest person she ever knew and loved, crumble and fall.

She had remembered the tears, the sweat and the pain. Then she remembered the hospital, the fruits and the flowers. Everything was depressingly gray even with the whole team by his side. But that boy had appeared and everything seemed to take a turn for the better. At least she began to hope. If anyone could defeat Kirihara, Fuji was the best bet.

Her brother and Fuji were once rivals but rivalry had given way to friendship and fate had it such that Fuji would be the next opponent of that red-eyed monster. She knew her brother had given his favorite grip tape to the honey haired tensai but Ann was torn. The thirst of anticipated vengeance mixed with a rushing flood of unease.

Back then, Ann didn't know why she dreaded the upcoming match yet she couldn't bring herself to be away from it. She couldn't even remember why she dressed up for the match that day. But in the end, she knew. And it was worth it. Though painful to watch but the result made all the difference. Perhaps, the long skirt brought good luck.

Ann wasn't sure what possessed her to sit next to Fuji but when the team took her brother back to the hospital, he had told her to stay. Her brother was curious too. Ann was glad for that last match changed her life.

* * *

"Your tennis knowledge seems to have improved by leaps and bounds Ann." She didn't reply, instead the brunette gave her brother a mysterious little smile. 

But she knew the credit wasn't hers to hold. Echizen and Sanada's match was mind-boggling and incredibly exciting. But without Fuji's patient explanations and insightful comments, her brother wouldn't have gotten such a detailed after-match analysis. Not that she was going to tell him, it wasn't often he dished out praises.

Deep down, she was certain her brother's praises were the least of her concern. What she didn't want him to know was that she had accompanied Fuji to the clinic and for the rest of that week (and the week after) visiting him before she came back home.

Her brother was worse than Kamio-kun when it came to boys around her and she definitely didn't want to scare Fuji away (not that the tensai was so easily deterred!) Ann just wanted to be safe than sorry, she had grown very fond of the smiley prodigy.

That was four years ago.

Four long years ago when she gave her heart away. And at twelve years of age, she gave her first kiss away. Many of her sweetest memories were with Fuji Syuusuke.

And it was three years ago when he left her for his first true love.

* * *

She had been alone since then. Not that there were no other boys, Kamio-kun and Momoshiro-kun had become her best friends. She just didn't want to love. 

Ann wasn't bitter. On the contrary, she was grateful.

She never dreamt that he would look her way but he did. She was glad that a moment in time she stood next to him and held his hands. Ann was content that at least, four years ago he was hers, even for that fleeting moment, they were happy.

Syuusuke always described himself as a cacti-loving caterpillar. Not that he looked like those green furry things but he felt like one dying to break out of his cocoon. Butterflies had such short beautiful lives and who was she to stop one so rare from its true purpose? Ann always knew that one day, Syuusuke would break free and take flight. What she didn't expect was that he soared so quickly that she couldn't catch up.

He told her of his secret dream - to become somebody and he did. His true beauty blinded the world like he did to her. Syuusuke dazzled with his intelligence and natural grace. His photography and tennis shocked the world but what mattered most to him was that his talents brought a particular person back to him.

Ann couldn't get mad at Syuusuke to save her life, even when he left without a word. It was peaceful for a while and Ann moved on, though she couldn't completely forget. Syuusuke was always a bittersweet part of her and she embraced the fact. She only felt numb when she saw his familiar face on the cover of a magazine. And like it was only natural, she bought it and hungrily pored over his interview at once.

It was a typical interview on his latest successes, conquests and gossip, like the many she read online. But the cover had promised his return to Japan and a special message for his past. And deep down, Ann prayed for the impossible.

* * *

"Back then, nobody knew me better than her. She saw my insecurities and fears beyond the façade I always had on. She understood and she accepted." 

"I'm an ugly caterpillar waiting for the moment of liberation. And she let me go."

"I will always love her. Even if my memory fails me with time, I will remember that she believed in me. All the memories we shared were real for I was free."

"And I hope as life goes on that she saw the true me. That I'm still the cacti-loving caterpillar, waiting for that magical moment when I will become somebody."

"She always forgave. This time, I doubt she will. But I don't want her to forget."

"**Never forget me, my little almond nut. You must remember."**

"_Then you will not make the same mistake of falling in love with a sadist."_

Ann wiped a stray tear from her cheek and smiled. Syuusuke always knew how to get her. This time was no different. Tracing a finger along his jawline, she whispered.

"_Even if I tried to, I couldn't."_

* * *

Owari! Reviews will be very much welcome (: Cheers! 

P.S. I had this planned for a Kamio-Ann-Momoshiro triangle but Fuji appeared and plagued my words. I couldn't resist. Don't ask me who the person Fuji left Ann for, I'm not telling. Oh and Ann's name when written is almond. More angst eh? I'm such a sadistic person D:


End file.
